What Not To Wear

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

If you haven't noticed, I have short legs and am a little bigger in the thighs. I know I'm not model-esque. I wish I had lean long legs but God gave me these short ones and it's my job to make them look good! So after some trial-and-error, I've realized what looks good on me and what does not. For instance, like today.

Exhibit A

If you're like me and have short legs, you want to make them look longer. I did not do that here. I'm wearing a shirt that stops right at my hips. I am also wearing a big puffy coat that stops right below my hips. It just accentuates my hip area....specifically my thighs, which I don't want accentuated. The easy answer is to wear shirts that stop above your hips. So for me, I should've worn a shirt probably 2-3 inches shorter. As for the big coat, I'm gonna have to get rid of it. It is so big, it swallows me up. It also doesn't give my body any form. I'll need to find a shorter coat or get a longer one that stops at max mid-thigh and that belts or ties at the waist.

I've picked a few out from Forever 21 that I wouldn't mind sporting this season....

Extra Tips

Wear darker bottoms (dark pants and dark shoes).

Wear heels.

Wear skirts to hide thighs.

Tucking in shirts...depending on the type of shirt and jeans you wear.

I love the periwinkle blue coat and the black ones! A classmate just bought an adorable red coat from there...may have to give it another chance (as of now I go straight to the jewelry section). I have no need to look taller (hi, 5'10"), but I do have larger thighs. Dark bottoms (often bootcut)and dresses are probaby the main 2 I try to follow.

I am the same as you having larger thighs, its probably the thing I hate most about myself too!Great tips, I find that bootcut or jeans that are a little flaired at the bottom look better on me. And also I profer to wear dresses and skirts (that dont start at the hips, but start at the waist) instead of shorts in summer.I love your jacket choices, my favs are the first grey one and the reddish one :)

i have larger thighs as well and it's such a pain :( i love your tips though. another tip i use sometimes is matching your shoes to your tights/pants, or wearing nude shoes. really elongates your legs :)

I love that grey coat! It's the middle of summer here (okay not quite but it feels it) & I have been buying up on blazers at places like Bardot. It's the best time to get them and everything's on sale :)I'm 169cm tall but my boyfriend is a few inches shorter... recently I bought a pair of black pumps & after showing them to my mother-in-law she laughed @ the height difference. Maybe I am destined to be this size forever! :pLove this post. You don't look stumpy to me at all Elaine :)xx

I think the trick is in the proportions—I definitely notice that I look stumpy sometimes! And there's always advice like "wear dark pants/tights with dark shoes" for a longer line, but sometimes you have to throw rules to the wind and have fun too. I am sure that black tights are way more flattering on me than colored ones, but I can't help it—I love colored tights! :) I have to say this again: I *love* your bangs and that hat together.

Love that hat on you :) And that denim moto!We all have things about our body we wish weren't so - thank goodness there are clothes to hide it! For me it's my chicken leg calves - boo :(Then sometimes we just throw rules out the window and wear what we want :)

oh, i have the same issues -- my legs are very short. when i want to make my legs appear longer, i try to wear a top that is 1/3 of my body height so that it only goes a little below my waist. i would complement that with long trousers or a very long skirt. sometimes, this helps.

ooh, i love the third one. i'm a fan of bright colors, though i don't tend to wear them often. i have bigger thighs too, but mostly i think i just ignore them. high waist jeans are good for extending leg length. and i always tuck when my jeans are high.

I think you look super comfy and still chic, short legs be damned! The only things I really avoid due to my height are below-the-knee skirts, capris, and tunics. I have a friend who's even shorter than me who, for whatever reason, always wears tops that go past her butt. They make her look super stumpy, but she won't give them up! Oh well! Wear what you like, I guess? I wear most of my tops to right above my lower hip to avoid looking like I have a freakishly long torso and teeny legs.

I also like that first grey sweater from F21 but I have something very similar from Anthropologie from last years winter. My big decision maker is my muffin top... what to do what to do...try to cover it up or wear something that if I bend it will poke out of my jeans...

I love this post!!!I discovered that I per accident made my legs look shorter when I was wearing a dress and tights but the had socks peeping out of my boots... :/ the socks shortened my legs instantly :/ while in a similar look without the socks the legs looked way taller!!

I think you look pretty good here actually, but the tips are great! And I am drooling over that blue coat! I usually go for longer tunics and tall boots or high heels with skinny jeans for an elongated look.

First, I will say that I think this outfit looks just fine on you. I didn't really think of it as drawing attention to your hips at all.

That being said, it's universally true that puffer-style jackets like that aren't very flattering on most body types. A slim wool coat or jacket, like on of the ones you mentioned, would probably be more flattering.

What Not to Wear taught me that pointy toed shoes in the same color as your pants makes your legs look longer because they eye keeps traveling. And I swear long (past mid-shin) skirts make me look shorter. I wear them anyway because I'm cold.

As far as coats, I say warmth is more important than style. But I have a 3/4 length wool coat I got from Old Navy last winter that I think manages to be both cute and warm.

I am 6ft tall so I need not worry, but all i can say is black jeans look good and can help. I also own a leather jacket which ends mid torso which I later found out was for short people to look tall. Wise words to leather jacket virgins they cool down to the temp outside so if its cold it will offer no heat at all but you can get some leather jackets which have some warmer materiel inside.

Pointed toe shoes (don't have to be extreme to help elongate) in a tone similar to your pants (or similar to your legs for skirts). Oddly enough, the opposite principle also works - a totally poppin' shoe in a great print or color. Draws the eye straight down to the feet and makes your legs look longer as the eyes skim past. I think you'd look great in the coat on the lower right!

Ugh, I was just lamenting about my short legs and puffy thighs yesterday. I usually wear bootcut jeans and heels of some sort, but I know the bootcut shape only accentuates my large thighs, so I need to find some trouser style pants. I'm also feeling inspired to wear more skirts these days.

I have the exact OPPOSITE problem! I'm 5"8, so I don't want to look taller! I actually feel funny when I'm wearing heels, I don't like looking donw on people!:) Usually, if I'm talking to someone signifacantly shorter than me, I end up scrunched down trying to be at there eye level!LOL! The grass is always greener!:) Cute jackets by the way!

flats are comfy but definitely not as flattering as heels. I favor my 2-3in boots everyday and always tuck them in- its best when its matching colors. i wore black pants with black leather boots the other day my legs totally looked longer than when i wear jeans and brown boots.

ah, i think most of us are trying to hide some areas and highlight other areas! i have long legs, but they are THICK! ha hahahah. i have many tricks up my sleeves for looking better, but lately it seems i am trying to disguise more and more problem areas! ugh.

You know, the funny thing, I actually like your outfit here. It is so something I would wear. But you are right about the jacket, accentuating your hips, but that's not a bad thing because you have rockin' hips!!

I think you look adorable, but I know what you mean about finding out what works for you! Interestingly enough, I posted an outfit today that I wasn't crazy about....the proportions just didn;t look right on my body type!

WIDE LEG JEANS are the best. It sounds cliche- wide leg jeans for thick legs- but it's true. They look awesome. Especially if you have a nice butt. Gap usually has great ones. Pointy toe shoes can help elongate legs too. And heels. Heels work wonders!Also, your legs aren't thick. And I love your hat here.

I don't think you look too short here! Being naturally tall my problem is quite different - I have to try hard to make my bum and boobs look smaller because I prefer to look edgy than sexy. But my number 1 tip is heels, heels, heels!

Oh I am so too practical. Subzero temps are not great with leggings IMHO. I prefer a good large down coat that goes past the hips to hide the thighs. But that's just me. Nice looks though! My daughters would love them.

Actually wearing a longer coat is going to hide your hip area whereas a shorter coat is really going to show them off. However, wearing a longer coat will shorten your leg length so it's a toss up. Cute coats though!

Not model-esque? Well I personally think you look very lovely! Thank you very much for visiting my blog and for your sweet comment -- I just got a chance to check out your blog and it's adorable; I am adding it to my reader :)

I actually like ur ensemble, when it's cold, i go for casual over fashionable sometimes :) I have long legs (I'm 5'8") but wearing heels definitely elongates the legs, which also makes them look thinner :)